Simply Explaining Insurance #125- Covid-19 and Workers Comp

This pandemic sure is giving me an opportunity to field some new questions. The latest question is, “Does workers comp cover anything if I have an employee test positive for Covid-19? Would it cover any of the testing for other employees that they may have come in contact with?”

Unfortunately, the answer to both of those is “no”. Workers comp will pay for injuries or illness that were sustained on the job. The language that I was given says this:

As to Worker’s Compensation coverage for an employee’s disease, in general, the particular disease must arise in the course and scope of employment, and the risk of contracting the disease must be unique to the type of employment or the employee’s duties. Similarly, under employer’s liability coverage, the employee’s disease must arise out of and be caused or aggravated by the conditions of employment.
Of course, each claim must be evaluated on its own merits, applying the actual policy language, and all claims should be reported to the Claims department.”

Essentially, if you get sick on the job, the only way it would be covered is if it was determined you get sick BECAUSE of the inherent risk of the job. For example, if you got black lung disease because you worked in a coal mine. Or cancer because you installed asbestos siding for 30 years.

Your workers comp doesn’t cover you if you get sick, or a virus. Things may change in the future, but as of this writing, there wouldn’t be coverage if your employee was ill. As always please call your agent and you can always file a claim to be 100% sure.